Modern airports are equipped with passenger bridges located adjacent to numerous gates on which passengers may walk safely protected from the weather between the terminal building gate and the aircraft.
A known mobile-type passenger bridge includes a rotunda that is connected to a terminal building. The bridge is rotatably mounted on a column anchored in the ground. A passageway extends from the rotunda, which is made up of a number of telescoping inter-fitting tunnel like elements, enabling variation of the length of the passageway. At the end of the passageway located farthest away from the rotunda, there is provided a cabin which is pivotable in relation to the passageway so as to align with the doorway of the aircraft. The passageway element to which the cabin is attached is suspended from a vertically adjustable frame, which in turn is supported by a bogie with wheels that can be driven separately.
The passenger bridge normally occupies a parked position in the vicinity of the place where the aircraft is to come to a halt after landing. When the aircraft has come to halt, an operator controls the passenger bridge vertically, angularly, and telescopically extends the passageway in the direction of the aircraft, and finally pivots the cabin such that the end of the bridge is connected to the door of the aircraft. The operation in the horizontal plane is achieved by altering the speeds of the bogie wheels in the relation to one another.
Current Docking Procedures
When the aircraft arrives the Ground Traffic Control (GTC) hands off the aircraft to the Ramp or Apron Control (AC), once the aircraft leaves the taxiway for the terminal gate. The AC instructs the pilot to proceed to a specific gate when the pilot communications switches from GTC to AC. The AC instructs ramp crew to be positioned to receive the aircraft. The Ramp crew must have at least one marshaller, who may activate the visual docking system or operate the paddles. The aircraft may travel to its docking position by means of one engine or two.
When the aircraft stops, the marshaller (who may also be the AC) will plug into the aircraft for communication with the pilot. The passenger bridge operator (which on occasion could be the marshaller) will then drive the passenger bridge (PB) to the aircraft door. The marshaller will then connect the ground power from the PB to the aircraft, APU. Due to the length of the cable on the cable reel, the PB must be against the aircraft in order to connect the APU. The aircraft door is then opened by the PB operator (for some airlines), or the aircraft crew for other airlines.
Departure
Approximately five minutes before “push back”, the marshaller will disconnect the ground power from the aircraft APU. Once the aircraft door is closed, the PB can be retracted but the PB operator must remain at the PB controls in case of an emergency evacuation. In practice, if there is a delay, the PB operator sometimes leaves to go operate a PB at another gate. This creates a problem because the PB operator may not be available if the delay is suddenly eliminated and the pilot is ready for “push back”. Generally, there will be the ramp lead (connected to the aircraft for communications with the pilot), a tow tractor driver, and possibly one walker to watch for obstructions during “push back” involved in this operation.
Owing to its complexity, this operation requires operators with special training, which of course is expensive for the airlines. Furthermore, it takes a long time to perform the connection. Also, it happens that the bridges bump into the aircraft as a result of error on the part of the operator, thus damaging the aircraft. Therefore the passenger bridge at airline terminals can be a cause of delay to arriving and departing aircraft, because it is necessary to have a qualified operator move the passenger bridge. There are a limited number of qualified operators and during busy times they are in short supply and thus there may not be one available when the aircraft arrives at the gate or is ready to depart from the gate consequently the aircraft will be delayed until the operator arrives.
Applicants are aware of the following patent literature with respect to the abovementioned subject matter:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,440 teaches an apparatus for aligning one or more motorized terminal bridges to one or more doors in a vehicle enabling the loading and unloading of passengers and freight. The subject patent provides control of drive signals used to align the cab of a terminal bridge with a door in parked vehicle. It includes positional transducers which are coupled to various movable sections of the bridge including the rotatable end of the bridge attached to the terminal, the expandable length passageway, the rotatable cab and the variable height hydraulic cylinders connecting the truck which supports the bridge to the passageway. These transducers produce voltages indicative of the spatial position of the bridge as determined by the orientation of the various movable sections. A television camera mounted in the cab enables an operator stationed at a remotely located control panel to view the area around the bridge of a television monitor. The cab can be rotated from the control panel as the operator views the monitor. Control circuits located in an electronics unit under the cab respond to signals from the control panel to produce initial positioning signals that rotate the bridge away from the terminal, extend the passageway, and align an electro-optical device to reflective type material affixed to the aircraft in the vicinity of the door. Positional voltages provided by the transducers and electro-optical device are processed in logic circuits disposed in the electronics unit that function in a prescribed manner to produce drive signals. These drive signals guide the bridge along a path that will bring the cab into alignment with the door. As the cab approaches the door, the speed is automatically decreased until the cab contacts the vehicle. Pressure switches mounted around the perimeter of the cab opening contact the vehicle producing control signals which rotate the cab and provide forward drive motion until complete contact of the cab opening and the vehicle is attained. A park indicator signal is then applied to the remotely located control panel and all power is turned off except that used in the control circuitry connected to the hydraulic cylinders. The electro-optical device mounted in the cab senses the height of the vehicle. If the vehicle height varies during loading or unloading, these switches provide signals to the control circuitry which will produce drive signals to the hydraulic cylinders thereby maintaining the cab at the same level as the door. The bridge is automatically retracted from the vehicle in response to a control signal from the control panel and returned to its original position prior to activation. It is clear that the operation of this system is operator dependent in spite of the semi-automatic computer assisted aspects included. All of the drawbacks in the prior art identified above have therefore not been addressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,538 teaches a tele-robotic system adapted for tracking and handling a moving object comprising a robot manipulator, a video monitor, an image processor, hand controls and a computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,204 teaches a tele-robotic control apparatus for aligning the movable end of a motorized passenger loading bridge to the door in a vehicle enabling the loading and unloading of passengers and freight.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,726 teaches a bridge for the transfer of passengers between an elevated level of a terminal building having a vestibule attached to the terminal building.
European Patent 0781225 teaches a method of connecting one end of a passenger bridge (1) or a goods-handling device of mobile type to a door on an aircraft. The system requires that the aircraft type be identified in order for the correct windshield configuration to be provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,036 teaches a system for automatically fueling an automotive vehicle, comprising a movable fuel dispenser including a nozzle which is adapted to be coupled to the fuel inlet of the vehicle, and programmable moving means connected to the fuel dispenser to move same into a position where the nozzle can be coupled with the fuel inlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,196 teaches an apparatus for use in orienting aircraft flight for refueling or other purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,137 teaches an automatic fueling system including a pump having a telescoping arm capable of placement in three-dimensional space; a flexibly mounted nozzle on the end of the arm and a docking cone to mate with a fuel port on a vehicle. A camera provides a view of the side of the vehicle on a monitor with guides visible to the operator of the vehicle to assist in locating the vehicle within range of the pump. A light and a camera located adjacent to the nozzle are used to recognize retro-reflective light from an annular target about the intake port.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,531 teaches a dead reckoning optoelectronic intelligent docking system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,345 teaches an autonomous docking system which produces commands for the steering and a propulsion system for a chase vehicle used in the docking of that chase vehicle with a target vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,736 teaches an autonomous rendezvous and docking system and method therefore.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,692 teaches an apparatus for automatically adjusting the floor of a moving vehicle to the height of a loading dock or platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,571 teaches a line-up vision system for testing the alignment of a workpiece in a holder of an automated machining apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,590 teaches a safety device for a loading bridge or walkway, at which aircraft are parked, for loading and unloading of passengers and cargo through an open door in the aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,495 teaches an array of non-contact proximity sensors mounted on the front bumper of a loading bridge to be in opposition to the airplane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,983 teaches a variable referenced control system for remotely operated vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,003 teaches a method and apparatus for variably elevating a passenger boarding bridge platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,035 teaches a method and apparatus for reducing skidding of wheels on a passenger boarding bridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,266 teaches a method and apparatus for connecting a passenger boarding bridge to a movable body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,826 teaches an engagement structure adapted for securement to the end of an aircraft boarding bridge including a bumper assembly formed of a first bumper and an auxiliary bumper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,918 teaches a telescopic connection for the proximate end of an airport passenger bridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,757 teaches a passenger boarding bridge for servicing a commuter aircraft.
An object of this invention is, therefore, to address some of the problems in the art.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an imaging system adapted for a vehicle to be docked with an aircraft opening.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide such a system which is self initiating without the need of an operator.
It is a further object of this invention to automate the controls of a passenger ridge using a camera based imaging system to sense the aircraft position and rive the bridge to the appropriate door opening location.
Further and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.